At the end of the this clip there is an interview with Mika Hakkinen after the race in Imola in 1994 and given the circumctances he was in a surprisingly good mood. But i have a question related to that press conference. About 5 years ago there was like a 20 minutes clip showing the events in Imola on that fateful weekend and there were intervies with Larini and Hakkinen and some questions from the floor where journalists and Hakkinen were joking. I can't find that video anymore. Does anyone remeber that video as well and did someone maybe save it somewhere so that the video can be reuploaded somewhere?

This may have been posted before. Apparently it's the Thruxton Speed Fair, June 1969: Ford Falcons, Graham Hill demonstrating the Lotus 49 etc. Would Sebastien Vettel we willing to climb a rickety wooden ladder to join the commentary team?

It would appear that facilities for commentators haven't progressed in the last 43 years as it is pretty much like that at a couple of venues I know & love.

That just brought a lump to my throat. Nice to see someone still taking an interest, although I fear that much of the content would be lost on the ADD F1-fans of today. Interesting that Sir Stirling was so enthusiastic about a place that nearly took his life.

On another website someone recently posted a clip from the Italian GP of 1956 with shots of the banking - it was gratifying to read some of the comments from younger fans although the use of English was restricted to "awesome".

That just brought a lump to my throat. Nice to see someone still taking an interest, although I fear that much of the content would be lost on the ADD F1-fans of today. Interesting that Sir Stirling was so enthusiastic about a place that nearly took his life.

On another website someone recently posted a clip from the Italian GP of 1956 with shots of the banking - it was gratifying to read some of the comments from younger fans although the use of English was restricted to "awesome".

Excellent idea of what Spa was and imagine what it was like on a racing sidecar outfit. The 1968 sidecar Grand Prix de Belgique featured a very competitive race between the BMW outfits of Johann Attenberger and his passenger Josef Schillinger and Georg Auerbacher and his passenger Hermann Hahn. Attenberger lost control on the last lap at full speed down the Masta Straight, hit the corner of a house and then crashed into a pine tree. The twooutfits may have collided before the crash. Unfortunately, Attenberger and Schillinger were killed instantly.

Well I seen the drivers press conference prior to Spa this year. Some journalist asked the drivers present (including Button, De La Rosa and Schumacher who always goes on about how much he loves the place) if they had ever gone for a drive round the old circuit. They all looked extremely puzzled clearly unaware what the hell the journalist was going on about including Schumacher, which is a bit sad really.

Well I seen the drivers press conference prior to Spa this year. Some journalist asked the drivers present (including Button, De La Rosa and Schumacher who always goes on about how much he loves the place) if they had ever gone for a drive round the old circuit. They all looked extremely puzzled clearly unaware what the hell the journalist was going on about including Schumacher, which is a bit sad really.

That's shocking. It's not as if they're being asked to drive round it at racing speeds. I believe Mark Webber is fairly enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the sports's history.

That's shocking. It's not as if they're being asked to drive round it at racing speeds. I believe Mark Webber is fairly enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the sports's history.

It's the old problem of today's big names only being interested in their sport as and when they experience it. The do seem locked into their own collective little bubble.

It also reflects how F1 has long neglected it's own heritage in so many ways - you wouldn't find that level of ignorance at the Indy 500, where the history and tradition have always been a major feature of the whole event. Some cynic might say in recent years, it's been the only feature?

Many years ago I remember James Hunt passing comment on a vintage racing car doing a demo lap prior to the Monaco GP "I don't know what that is but Murray will..." it was a Bugatti. Not exactly difficult...

James always freely admitted to no real knowledge of the sport before his own era but I understand he later became rather better acquainted with, and appreciative of it's history. One can only hope the same thing eventually occurs to some of those on the grid today.

It's the old problem of today's big names only being interested in their sport as and when they experience it. The do seem locked into their own collective little bubble.

It also reflects how F1 has long neglected it's own heritage in so many ways - you wouldn't find that level of ignorance at the Indy 500, where the history and tradition have always been a major feature of the whole event. Some cynic might say in recent years, it's been the only feature?

Many years ago I remember James Hunt passing comment on a vintage racing car doing a demo lap prior to the Monaco GP "I don't know what that is but Murray will..." it was a Bugatti. Not exactly difficult...

James always freely admitted to no real knowledge of the sport before his own era but I understand he later became rather better acquainted with, and appreciative of it's history. One can only hope the same thing eventually occurs to some of those on the grid today.

I don't think this only applies to 'our' sport - I'd imagine today's footballers, tennis players, snookerists, etc are probably pretty hazy about anything that happened in their sport more than (say) 15 years ago. Not sure about cricketers - or at least, their commentators?

Which is not to say that it's to be condoned, just that it's fairly typical today (whereas JYS was apparently thrilled to have Fangio's autograph).

Maybe the youngsters should have to do some schoolwork before they're allowed their licence. History lessons etc.. not just the drivers and cars, but the changes to the sport, and the reasons for them. I reckon JYS would be a more than adequate tutor.

The way to understand the playmat circuits of today is to show them the past - Burnenville and the Masta Kink. footage of Niki's fire, the splendour of the old Osterreichring, et al.. I might moan about modern F1, but I do "get it" - I've had enough deaths in my lifetime.

Maybe the youngsters should have to do some schoolwork before they're allowed their licence. History lessons etc.. not just the drivers and cars, but the changes to the sport, and the reasons for them. I reckon JYS would be a more than adequate tutor.

The way to understand the playmat circuits of today is to show them the past - Burnenville and the Masta Kink. footage of Niki's fire, the splendour of the old Osterreichring, et al.. I might moan about modern F1, but I do "get it" - I've had enough deaths in my lifetime.

The irony of course is that a couple of the drivers in the conference were guys in their forties! You have to appreciate Dario Franchitti's enthusiasm for the history of the sport unlike most of those stuck in their F1 bubble although I'm not sure about Webber's interest in the past. You would have thought that to drive in the sport you would need to know about the past. It applies to fans as much as drivers. Read some of the nonesense posted on Racing Comments and it appears a lot of people think that Eff One was invented by Lewis Hamilton in 2007. Its not really an attitude I understand, after all how could characters like Chapman and his great cars or Graham Hill or great circuits like the Osterreichring or Rouen not possibly be fascinating? Anyway I propose that in future all drivers have to set a course in Grand Prix Legends before they are given a license!

[quote name='Les' date='Jan 7 2013, 13:38' post='6089198']
The irony of course is that a couple of the drivers in the conference were guys in their forties! You have to appreciate Dario Franchitti's enthusiasm for the history of the sport unlike most of those stuck in their F1 bubble although I'm not sure about Webber's interest in the past. You would have thought that to drive in the sport you would need to know about the past. It applies to fans as much as drivers. Read some of the nonesense posted on Racing Comments and it appears a lot of people think that Eff One was invented by Lewis Hamilton in 2007. Its not really an attitude I understand, after all how could characters like Chapman and his great cars or Graham Hill or great circuits like the Osterreichring or Rouen not possibly be fascinating? Anyway I propose that in future all drivers have to set a course in Grand Prix Legends before they are given a license!

Absolutely.Your comments about modern GP fans are spot-on, and only go to prove that Bernie has achieved his goal. A modern sport for a modern generation, organised and presented in a modern manner. Shame it's just a shadow of its former self in some ways.

The odd thing is, when a website for car fans offers up a video of the "old days" a lot of young viewers are fascinated by the dangers and heroism. Awesome! So why don't they do something about it? Or is it just too late, and I know the answer already?

[quote name='simonlewisbooks' date='Jan 7 2013, 14:56' post='6089269']
Perhaps that's key to why history is not treasured in F1 circles....it all too easily shows up on the defects of the present incarnation ?

On a certain motorsport-oriented site there was a thread about the entry for next year's F1 calendar - I pointed out that it would be interesting to see the entry list for each individual GP. I admit that sarcasm is a poor tool.

Didn't know they raced anti-clockwise! Fuji looks a bit different 'the other way round' and the camera angles here give more impression of the undulating nature of the track than any TV coverage I can recall. I notice also the infamous banking isn't in use for this race.

this one is listed as being 1973 but the leading cars are Porsche 906s so maybe the caption is wrong? It looks more late 60s than early 70s. This race goes the 'right way round' and does use the awesome banking

That's the Ts-a class touring car race, which was on the supporting card of the 1972 Japan Grand Prix ( 3rd May 1972 ). The whole meeting was run anti-clockwise around the Fuji Speedway track, and without using the banked first corner of the clockwise configuration.

this one is listed as being 1973 but the leading cars are Porsche 906s so maybe the caption is wrong? It looks more late 60s than early 70s. This race goes the 'right way round' and does use the awesome banking

It's mis-captioned. It was actually the ( May 3rd ) 1967 4th 'Japan Grand Prix' meeting at Fuji, won by Tetsu Ikuzawa in a Porsche 906 with three factory Nissan R380A-IIs ( Takahashi, Sunako & Kitano ) 2nd, 3rd & 4th. Shintaro Taki was 5th in another 906, Hideo Oishi 6th in another Nissan R380A-II and Don Nichols ( racing under the pseudonym 'R. Clark' ) was 7th, crammed into the topless 'Team Toro' Lola T70 Mk2. Tadashi Sakai was 8th in the third of the Porsche 906s.

Didn't know they raced anti-clockwise! Fuji looks a bit different 'the other way round' and the camera angles here give more impression of the undulating nature of the track than any TV coverage I can recall. I notice also the infamous banking isn't in use for this race.

And of course the USAC teams raced anti clockwise when they went there for the non championship race during 1966. Some pictures here courtesy of TNF's Walter Zoomie

It's mis-captioned. It was actually the ( May 3rd ) 1967 4th 'Japan Grand Prix' meeting at Fuji, won by Tetsu Ikuzawa in a Porsche 906 with three factory Nissan R380A-IIs ( Takahashi, Sunako & Kitano ) 2nd, 3rd & 4th. Shintaro Taki was 5th in another 906, Hideo Oishi 6th in another Nissan R380A-II and Don Nichols ( racing under the pseudonym 'R. Clark' ) was 7th, crammed into the topless 'Team Toro' Lola T70 Mk2. Tadashi Sakai was 8th in the third of the Porsche 906s.

Many thanks PS30-SB - that makes sense. Don "Shadow" Nichols? In my ignorance I had no idea he was a driver.I do like those Nissan's - not a phrase I would normally find myself saying, I have to admit!

Not sure he was in the car purely on the strength of his driving ability ( wink wink ).

He must have been pretty uncomfortable in that car. He wouldn't have fitted at all if it had a roof....

I do like those Nissan's - not a phrase I would normally find myself saying, I have to admit!

Nissan have a very interesting history, and will soon be celebrating their 80th anniversary. Prince ( forced to merge with Nissan in 1966 ) were an interesting company too, and those Nissan R380A-IIs were really just a few steps on from the very first Prince R380 ( built around a Brabham BT8 chassis ) and the Prince R380As that followed it. Their GR8 engines begat the S20 engine seen in the first Skyline GT-Rs ( the PGC10 and KPGC10 ) and the Fairlady Z432 and 432-R ( the PS30 and PS30-SB ). I'm a big fan, as you might be able to tell.

Nissan ( actually NISMO ) are busy refurbishing an original R380A to running condition for the 80th anniversary celebrations later this year. They have a great collection of their old race cars, and I'm looking forward to what the coming year holds.